The Writer's Challenge

Here is The Writer's Challenge:
Write 1000 words a day - that's about 4 manuscript pages - every day, come hell or high water, until your novel is written. Then get an agent. Then get it published.
This is the year you write your novel!

Pages

Welcome to The Writer's Challenge

I'm updating weekly-ish and whenever something exciting happens, so please come back often, browse the archived information,and use the search feature to find information! Learn more about my books at ShoshannaEvers.com

Gather 'round, I have a story to tell. It's about why, after five years as a published erotic romance author, I am saying goodbye to the erotica and erotic romance genre. At some point soon it seems this will also mean goodbye to secular romance novels in general.

Here's what happened:

In late 2012, after the Sandy Hook shooting, I turned to God for answers (as did many others). Quick background: I was born and raised Jewish and was even practicing Orthodox Judaism for a few years around the time I met my husband in 2004. I kept kosher best I could, wore the long skirts, went to Shabbat dinners at the rabbi's house, and found my husband on Jdate, a Jewish dating site. I did all this in my ever-present quest to be closer to God. Unfortunately the harder I tried the further from God I felt. It wasn't working, so I tried harder. After three years I felt more separated from God than before I started my attempt to practice all the laws of the bible (specifically the Torah, the first 5 books of the Old Testament). When my Dear Husband (DH) was ready to be more relaxed in our approach to Judaism, I was ready with him — I stopped trying to earn my way into God's good graces.

In 2010 my first erotic romance was published by Ellora’s Cave, and my professional writing career began, to be followed by twenty-plus novels and novels, including six with Simon & Schuster/Pocket and a bunch of indie books. I never felt as if being Jewish and writing erotic romance was an issue at all.

Back to Sandy Hook. I promise it relates to why I'm no longer going to be writing erotic romance, although I'm sure many of you can guess at this point. For the first time in my life while reading the bible, numerous Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament (especially the books of Isaiah and Micah) just jumped out at me like crazy. I thought, "From the little I know about Jesus (mainly from the musicals Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar), these Messianic prophecies actually sound a lot like... Jesus." Which then made me think, "Oh no." Because that meant I had to read the New Testament to find out for sure, which is a pretty taboo thing for an Orthodox Jewish girl to do.

When I opened the New Testament and read about Jesus, something clicked. I then spent several months trying to ignore what I had just learned -- that there were 333 Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament, and that Jesus had fulfilled Every. Single. One. The statistical chances of that happening are astronomically low to the point of impossibility. Yet Christmas rolled around and I did what I always did — ignored the holiday and lit the Chanuka menorah instead.

It took me a while to warm up to the idea that, while I would always be Jewish by birth and race, down to my very DNA (97% Ashkenazi Jewish, just like my DH), that I was now of the belief that Jesus was the Messiah I had previously been waiting for. That made me a Jewish Christian. If you are Jewish and want to infuriate everyone in your family, try telling them the Good News. As far as my mom and dad (and siblings and extended family etc) were concerned, it was awful news.

In late 2013 DH and I were living in Idaho, attending church weekly, also attending bible studies weekly, and a woman's group weekly for me as well. For the first time in my life, I put up a Christmas tree December 2013. After about a year we got baptized, and DH started playing guitar in the church band. This whole time I had been easily able to separate my "real life" (including my spiritual life), from my writing career. Especially since at church, few people knew I was Shoshanna Evers since I go by my married name.

Those who knew I wrote secular romance novels, like my friends from church, wouldn't read my books. I was fine with that since I knew it wasn't their thing. No one chastised me about it (except for one random girl I didn't know, and I thought she was just being stupid), but I found myself justifying my career anyway. "It's just fiction," I'd say. "No one's actually 'sinning' in real life, anyway." When I met up with other writers, I'd joke about how I'd go to church in the morning and write hot sex in the afternoon.

At some point it just stopped being funny to me. I felt, to put it in "Christianese," convicted. As if God wanted me to feel badly about my hypocrisy so I'd rethink my career.

Though I attempted NOT TO ALLOW my faith to interfere with my successful writing career, my books began having progressively less sex and more God in them with each new book I put out. Not on purpose, mind you. One reviewer recently noted that "when they finally do get to be together, the [love] scenes are tasteful and not over the top." Could you imagine anyone saying that about a book from early in my career? Never! It became clear that whether I was willing to admit it or not, my books were getting cleaner and more romance and character/plot focused than sex-focused. It wasn't a deliberate change, it was just happening as I wrote. Once I sat down to think about why I was having so much writer's block, constantly procrastinating instead of working on my books, I realized why: I'm no longer excited to write erotica or erotic romance.

Maybe I've just burned myself out on it by being so prolific over the past five years, or maybe God really has just been changing my heart slowly enough for me to remain open to it. If you drop a frog in boiling water, he'll jump out. But if you put him in cool water and slowly turn up the heat, the frog will boil to death. Not saying I am a dead frog — just saying that if I had known when I first opened up that bible after Sandy Hook that my career would have to stop immediately, I never would have had the guts to look into Jesus for myself. If my friends at church had told me I was being a sinner by writing my books, I may have stopped going to church, or stopped being friends with them. I'm lucky that instead, this heart-change about what I should be writing versus what I was writing happened over the course of three years. The past three years have given me time to simmer a bit.

While my characters used to jump into bed with each other immediately, now I found myself halfway through writing the book without so much as a kiss happening. I've fought this feeling for the past year (2015), because I know what I'm good at, and I know what my readers like. I knew if I changed what I was doing too much, I'd lose most of my readers. Since writing is my full-time job, and it literally pays the bills, losing everything I've built in the past five years frightened me.

I'm still scared to death about this. But I've also reached a point where I feel like I'm hiding my true self, my true faith, and what I truly want to write. It's made being Shoshanna Evers uncomfortable for me, because I feel like I am no longer the same person who wrote The Enslaved Trilogy or The Man Who Holds the Whip. So even though I know this is going to be a hard pill to swallow for a lot of my readers and associates, I had to just come clean and say what I've been dealing with.

It's been an identity crisis of sorts: Who is Shoshanna Evers? Do I want to be that anymore? Do I have to be that, or can I reinvent myself?

At first I answered those questions like this:

Who is Shoshanna Evers? An erotic romance author.

Do I want to be that anymore? No.

Do I have to be that in the future? Yes. My readers expect that of me, and they pay my rent. Besides, it's what I know how to do well.

Can I reinvent myself? No. Who goes from being an erotica writer to an inspirational writer?

Now, I've changed my answers to reflect my true identity:

Who is Shoshanna Evers? An erotic romance author (at the moment).

Do I want to be that anymore? No.

Do I have to be that in the future? NO. I may lose my beloved readers, I may lose my agent, I may lose my upcoming 6 book contract, but God will find a way to make it work out. He always does.

Can I reinvent myself? YES.I'm only 36 years old. I have the rest of my adult life to write whatever I want. Thank God.

My agent, Stacey Glick of Dystel & Goderich, thankfully said that she would support me in this new career direction. Yay!! "I am nothing if not flexible," she said. :) Unfortunately, (I knew going in that this would be the case) the six book contract we were in the process of negotiating with a publisher (actually wrapping up negotiations) for a dark romance trilogy and a steamy cowboy trilogy, is no longer going to happen. Thankfully the editor and publishing house were understanding about what I want to write now, and they understand it doesn't fit what they were looking to publish from me. Nothing personal. I get it; I'm not sad. God opens windows whenever he closes a door.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

However, some creepy-creepster decided he coulduse my image for commercial gain by selling his own book (which is possibly plagiarized - see my review posted below) with my face on it as the book cover. I am upset about this. I feel violated.EDITED TO ADD: This is NOT MY BOOK. I have nothing to do with this and have no control over it.

Click to enlarge

Fortunately, a woman who was on Amazon looking for a book to buy ran across it, and recognized me (which is amazing in and of itself, since they didn't credit my name anywhere, not that doing so would make it anymore legal or morally right). She contacted me and told me what was going on (thank you!).

I reported it to Amazon KDP. Since the author is in Kindle Unlimited, that means he's in KDP Select, which means he's exclusive to Amazon, which means I don't have to go chasing this cover down all over the place, thank goodness. I just need Amazon to take it down...in all their countries.

UPDATE 9/2/15: SUCCESS! Amazon agreed to take it down from all countries within 2-3 days!

click to enlarge

Update 9/3/15: WHEEE! It's gone! :D

The book was up for 4 days total before takedown.

This is the 1 star review I posted on the book's product page, to warn other readers (as of this writing, my review is not yet showing up on Amazon):

That is my picture on the cover, but I am not a cover model. I am a NYT and USA Today bestselling romance author, and I've worked really hard to get there. I did NOT give this "author" Ricky Andrew permission to use a picture of me as his book cover. That photograph is copyrighted by the photographer, and I *never gave* Ricky Andrew a model release or the license to use my pic for his commercial gain. He has no right to use me, a woman who has worked her ass off writing romance novels since 2010, as an unwilling "cover model" to sell his book. If it even IS his book.

Why do I think he might be plagiarizing as well as stealing another author's likeness? If you Google "Ricky Andrew Author," all you find is other links on Amazon to his other books...no author website, no Facebook, no Twitter, no way to contact him (I tried) -- and most of those links lead to books which have already been taken down. Books only get taken down on Amazon if they are violating copyright. Even out-of-print books have pages that stay up on Amazon forever. So something is fishy here, beyond him using my picture against my will to sell his books.

Since he is claiming to be a romance author, then I have a feeling he knows exactly whose photo he was using, which is really icky and makes me feel targeted. And now this book is actually selling. Please, readers, do not think I have anything to do with this atrocity. I am an unwilling participant. I have already notified Amazon KDP.

If you bought this book, whether through KU or not, please ask Amazon to refund your money so that these guys can't gain from violating me. Readers, thank you for your support, I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Shoshanna Evers

UPDATE: Amazon WON'T post my review! I got an email saying:Your review could not be posted. Thanks for submitting a customer review on Amazon. Your review could not be posted to the website in its current form. While we appreciate your time and comments, reviews must adhere to the following guidelines.UPDATE 2: Amazon won't post my amended review, either!

click to enlarge

Since there is no "look inside" feature for this book, I wasn't able to put any of the content through a plagiarism detector. If anyone has the book already (please don't buy it) perhaps you can find out for the romance community which other author "Ricky Andrew" may have ripped off.UPDATE 3: Another author read the sample pages and said it might not be plagiarized, it looks like a poor translation from another language (although that could possibly be from another author's book, then translated to English using an online translation tool.)

Click to enlarge to read a sample

How you can help: On the bottom of the book's page on Amazon is this:

Would you like to report poor quality or formatting in this book? Click here

Update 9/2/15: (as above) Thank you for your help! Amazon is now removing the book! I imagine I won't get any of the money they earned while it's up, but I don't even care about that at this point. They'd had it up for $2.99 and then made it free. *smh*

(Don't bother clicking to report a copyright violation, because only the copyright holder can do so unfortunately). But I hope if enough people complain about the book they will take it down.

Sample wording: The "cover model" on Perfect Billionaire Baby is a real author who did not give her permission to be used on a book cover. Ricky Andrew is using her for commercial gain, and not only is that illegal, he is violating her and it is morally wrong. Please pull down this book and don't support Ricky Andrew's scam to bait readers into thinking she is affiliated with the book when she is not.

Also, thank you for warning other readers away from that book, since many of you were able to post reviews where I wasn't allowed to.

Thank you!UPDATE 4: That scumbag is on the YA Contemporary Romance Free Bestseller List on Amazon. There are legitimate great books that should be in that spot. It makes me so angry.

Click to enlarge if you want to get angry too

Oh hey - if you click through to the Wikipedia page about me, you'll notice it's a bit out of date. If you do Wikipedia updates and feel like updating it with my other other books that hit NYT and USAT lists since it was originally posted, and current books, email me for info or for help with anything else you need! :) Thanks!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Boy do I have a story to tell - and fortunately, the solution that finally worked to get my Facebook access back after they locked my access to both my profile and Page due to my not using my "real name."

(Shoshanna Evers has been my pen name since 2009, which makes it legally my real name in 46 states just by the fact that I use it everywhere - and I have an Idaho-state DBA (doing business as) Shoshanna Evers).

Backstory:
I had a Shoshanna Evers profile from 2010 that was converted into a "Like Page" when I couldn't add more friends. For a couple years I just had that Page, and no profile attached.

Then, FB made me create a profile to attach to the Page. So I created a Shoshanna Evers profile. I hid the profile in searches so only my Like Page would come up (I don't want to have to double post in two places on FB), I didn't add any friends to it, and only used it to interact in my Street Team FB Group and during FB events like book release parties.

Separately, I have a private FB profile under my married name where I post pics of my kid, etc, for the relatives. That profile is hidden and there are no cross-over friends.

Here's what happened:
On May 21st 2015 (as I write this is the 28th, and the problem just got resolved a few hours ago), I participated in a FB party using my Shoshanna Evers profile. I've done that before. This time, I decided to message the 4 winners to make sure they knew to email me for their prizes. BAD MOVE!! That flagged FB, because I was messaging people who weren't my "friends."

So don't ever message someone who isn't a "friend" from your profile, because that will get you flagged! Good to know, right? Fortunately I have made all the mistakes this week so you don't have to! ;)

The next day when I went to log in, I got a message saying my account access has been locked until I "verify my identity."

Silly me, at first I was happy. Yay, they're going to give me a blue check mark just like Twitter did, right? NOPE. I sent them what I had sent Twitter - a pic of a contract that showed I was (legal/birth name) writing as Shoshanna Evers along with my driver's license showing I am my legal name.

Denied. So I end up going back and forth, sending a total of eleven documents (including my Idaho DBA, a royalty statement, a screen shot of my access into my own official website, a screen shot of a Tweet to FB from my Verified Twitter account, etc) all verifying that I am really Shoshanna Evers, and that it's really me running the profile and Page - unlike, for example, the Shoshanna Evers page that I *don't* run, which I also linked to.

Every step of the way, a new person contacted me to tell me no. It took me a very long time to realize that no one was actually looking at my past emails or documents - each time they denied me and said I have to verify my legal name is Shoshanna Evers.

I quoted their own help site stating that it has to be your "authentic name" - not LEGAL name - but the name you are known as in real life and online - if you've ever met me, you know I introduce myself as Shoshanna Evers. I reminded them that since October of 2014 their "legal name" policy changed to "authentic name" because they had a lot of backlash from drag queens who were forced to out themselves using their legal male names.

No one listened. No one cared. It was like encountering a steady stream of brick walls, each one entirely new and with no knowledge of all the links and pics I'd sent.

Then, some jerk at FB closed my support ticket (and I'm thinking, "hey, we're not done here!") and worst of all, changed my Shoshanna Evers profile name to my married name. I couldn't even get into my account to deactivate it! He totally doxed me and put my married, private name out to all the FB groups I am a part of. I got a screen shot and a confused email from another author asking why my name had changed, but she couldn't click it because the profile was gone. Fun, right?

Here's how I finally fixed the problem:

I reopened the case.

I recognized I would need to send them ONE image that contained:

1. a screenshot of their own help page stating what forms of ID are acceptable

2. Circled the forms of ID I was giving them (two from Option 2)

3. The forms of ID on that same image, right there, with the circled form of ID pasted above each one. (I used the free program Paint and used "Paste From" to add the pics I needed, in case you aren't sure how to make several images into one easily)

In other words, I made it impossible for anyone looking at that one image to deny me access. And I got it back. *throws confetti*

What forms of ID did I use?
An employee identification card - fortunately, as CEO of my company, I issued an immediate directive that all four employees could have ID cards on request, and I requested one. Ta da!

The other was membership in a professional organization - RWA. I am attaching the image I sent them so you can see what finally worked. And since I doubt I am the first or last author this is going to happen to, I am blogging about this as well. When I was searching online to find out how to fix the problem, all I found were people who were flagged for using their actual legal names because their legal names sounded "fake" to someone at Facebook. *rolls eyes*

Hope that helps you - oh, and another form of ID you can get now in case you have a problem in the future is to save mail sent to your pen name and take a pic of it.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Complication Cards - PART THREE: THE SCENE
Read Part One, and Part Two.
Guest Post by author Ines Johnson

You’ve discovered your character’s need, and potential their
want, which is a false goal. You’ve learned about the four types of obstacles
that can obstruct your character on the way to achieving their goals and
filling their need. Now, to build a heart-pounding story where you send your
character through the toughest obstacle course you can imagine, you should map
out a blueprint for the course.

4 Elements of a Story

1. HERO/HEROINE

Primary character looking to fill the void in their life.

2. WANT

A false goal that the hero/heroine initially believes is their
path to wholeness.

3. OBSTACLE

One of the four obstacles opposing the hero/heroine.

4. NEED

The true goal of the hero/heroine which will satisfy their
void.

OBSTACLE COURSE CARD

EXAMPLES

Antagonist example

In the Cinderella adaptation Ever After, Danielle (heroine) works tirelessly to gain acceptance
(want) from her stepmother (antagonist) until she realizes her family of
friends, including the Prince, love her unconditionally (need).

Physical example

In The Little Mermaid
adaptation Splash, yes I went there!,
Madison (heroine) leaves the sea to be with Allen (want) but when her legs get
wet and her fins come back (obstacle) she’s forced to tell Allen the truth of
her existence in the hopes that he’ll come and spend forever with her under the
sea (need).

Inner/Psychological
example

In the unconventional fairy tale Shrek, Princess Fiona (heroine) hopes to be rescued by a knight in
shining armor (want) who will break her curse (obstacle) until she realizes
that true love is “color” blind (need).

Mystic Forces example

In The Frog Prince, Tiana
(heroine) dreams of opening a restaurant (want) but her dream takes a slight
detour when she’s turned into a frog (obstacle) along with Prince Naveen and
learns to seek and take help from others (need).

Exercise

Now its your turn. Fill out your own obstacle card for you
story. If you want to take it a step farther, fill out a card for each scene!

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Last week Yesterday we learned that characters have holes that only
‘needs’ can fill. Before a character can see their need, they have to yearn
after a want, which takes them on a bumpy ride to nowhere.

This obstacle course consists of four physical and/or internal
complications that force the hero or heroine to make decisions that produce
dramatic action.

The four kinds of obstacles are:

The Antagonist (Bad Guy)

A specific antagonist lends clarity and power to the dramatic
structure because his primary function is to oppose the protagonist. He doesn’t
necessarily have to be evil, but he should personify the protagonist’s
obstacles.

Example: Cinderella’s
Wicked Step Mother

Physical Obstructions

Physical obstructions are just what they seem –material
barriers standing in the way of the protagonist. These can be rivers, deserts,
mountains, a dead-end street, or a car causing a crash –anything that presents
a substantial obstacle for the protagonist.

Example: Arielle’s fin

Inner/Psychological
Problems

Inner obstacles are intellectual, emotional, or psychological
problems the protagonist must overcome before being able to achieve his goal.
For example, dealing with fear, pride, jealousy, or the need to mature fall
into this category.

Example: Fiona’s (from
Shrek) appearance

Mystic Forces

Mystic forces enter most stories as accidents or chance but
they can be expressed as moral choices or ethical codes, which present
obstacles. They can also be personified as gods or supernatural forces, which
the characters have to content with.

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Complication Cards

Guest post by author Ines Johnson

PART ONE: THE "HOLE" CHARACTER

All characters have holes (notice it rhymes with goal). You
open the first chapter and find a human being who believes they are lacking
something crucial in their lives. Perhaps it’s the dream job, or the right
social circle, or their mother’s approval, or maybe its love.

Rarely do you enter the world of a character who finds
themselves whole. A part is usually missing. For the next tens of thousands of
words you will embark upon a journey with that character to fill that void.

Characters fill these holes in one of two ways; with either a
want or need.

Remember when you were young and you wanted the fancy pair of
jeans? Think Brenda in 90210. Fresh
from the Midwest, thrown into the dangerous waters of the Beverly Hills elite,
and her working class parents couldn’t afford the patchwork, ripped jeans that
cost the same as a car payment. But Brenda wanted those holey jeans so that she
could fit in with Kelly and Donna. In Carol’s, her mother’s eyes, there was a needfora new pair of pants for
Brenda to wear to school and that’s what Brenda got. Now if we watched that
20-year old episode we know what Brenda did to those new pair of jeans and she
made holes in her jeans to fill her social void.

You might want a pair of Louis Vuitton, but in the end you need
a pair of functioning heels to go with that cute dress.

A want is a false goal, a red herring that throws both
the reader and the character off the true course that will fill the character’s
hole. It takes some time and some bumps in the road before the character
realizes their want is not likely what they need. The need perfectly
fills the void the character has been experiencing.

Exercise

Take a look at your main character(s). What is it that they
need in order to be whole again? Now consider if it would serve your story for
your character to have a false goal that keeps them from seeing their true need
for a good portion of the story?

Next week Tomorrow(!), you’ll learn the four types of obstacles that a
character might face during their course of their quest for their ‘need.’

Trained as a Pleasure Hound and now surviving by selling his body to rich women, Jaspir’s heart has always remained loyal to Lady Merlyn. When Merlyn’s fiance, Liam, approaches Jaspir for help in ensuring her happiness in the bedroom, Jaspir agrees to train Liam in the pleasure arts. What starts as rivals in an uneasy truce, soon turns carnal when Merlyn learns of their secret lessons and iis torn between the attentions of two men who would do anything to rule her heart.

About Ines Johnson:

Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books!

Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, Ines is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations.

Ines lives outside Washington, DC with her two little sidekicks who are growing up way too fast.

Gay Dinosaur Billionaire Adventures with Bigfoot and Friends!

"My favourite read in March was Gay Dinosaur Billionaire Adventures with Bigfoot and Friends! Written by Shoshanna Evers, Charlotte Stein, Audra North, and others under assumed names, this anthology was so funny I may have temporarily lost bladder control. The perfect April Fool's Day read."
~ Rhyll Biest, Heroes & Heartbreakers

“When award-winning and New York Times bestselling romance authors get together to try their hand at dinosaur erotica, things get a bit crazy. Crazy HOT!”~ New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Shoshanna Evers (Bunking with the Cowboys Series)

“Is this an April Fool’s Day joke?”~ New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Andrew Shaffer (How to Survive a Sharknado)

“Who says satire can’t be sexy, #amirite?” ~ people on Twitter

“#Dinoporn is totally a thing. #help”~ other people on Twitter

Includes the following short stories for readers with a sense of (ahem) adventure.
*Gay Dinosaur Billionaire Adventures*, that is!

Wait a minute… who is Jezebel Lixxx?

Jezebel Lixxx is the secret pen name for New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Shoshanna Evers (shhhh don’t tell). Jezebel write crazy-pants erotica, and really doesn’t care if her characters get a happily ever after, as long as they get each other off! She lives in a padded cell in the far corner of Shoshanna’s imagination, where she only comes out if she smells salted chocolate. You can’t even follow her on social media… but sometimes she Tweets for her boss.

Are you ready?

FYI: The April Fools Day joke is that we’re writing this silly book under silly pen names – it’s not that the book doesn’t actually exist. Yes it’s a real book. It’s happening, y’all!

Wait!! Tell me who the real authors are!

Okay. All but one, who insists on anonymity, even though I think you can figure it out.

Twitter!

About Me

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Shoshanna Evers has written dozens of sexy stories, including The Man Who Holds the Whip (part of the bestselling MAKE ME anthology), Overheated, The Enslaved Trilogy, and The Pulse Trilogy (from Simon & Schuster Pocket Star).
Her work has been featured in Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and Best Bondage Erotica 2013, the Penguin/Berkley Heat anthology Agony/Ecstasy, and numerous erotic BDSM novellas including Chastity Belt and Punishing the Art Thief from Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
The non-fiction anthology Shoshanna Evers edited and contributed to, How To Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors, is a #1 Bestseller in the Authorship, Erotica Writing Reference, and Romance Writing categories.
Shoshanna is also the cofounder of SelfPubBookCovers.com, the largest selection of one-of-a-kind, premade book covers in the world.
Shoshanna is a New York native who now lives with her family and two big dogs in Northern Idaho. She welcomes emails from readers and writers, and loves to interact on Twitter and Facebook.
Sexily *Evers* After…